Mixed reactions continue to trail the ongoing drama between the Nigerian Police Force and the Bukola Saraki led National Assembly as well as his link to the April 5 Offa robbery incident.
Many of the reactions which trended with the hash tag #SiegeOnSenate among other handles are presented below:
According to Twitter user @opemists, ‘the Senate didn’t lie when they declared the Inspector General of Police as an enemy of Democracy. Mr. Transmission is the greatest threat not only to Democracy but to the credibility of the 2019 polls’.
How today ends will determine the Legacy of the President and the fortune of APC. It is clear President @MBuhari has lost political integrity and a threat to Democracy, another tweet noted.
The plot to impeach the Senate President has just failed… What actually can Mr. President do? #SiegeOnSenate
Listen up! We have no choice now than to vote this government out. Enough is actually enough #SiegeOnSenate
The @IntlCrimCourt should be ashamed of itself for giving PMB an international platform while he leads an assault on Democracy at home
Mr Bablo @MisterBabs_
OBJ was tyrannical but at least there was relative competence. GEJ was relatively incompetent but at least respected the law. How do you combine incompetence, tyranny and add ethnic divisiveness on top?
Editi Effiòng @EditiEffiong
The senate president and deputy president denied freedom of movement? That’s nothing.
Remember that for 2 years now, radio and TV stations have been prevented from airing views critical of the president (aka hate speech). That is the real tyranny.
JJ. Omojuwa @Omojuwa
There is a difference between Bukola Saraki and the office of the Senate President. In my opinion, today’s moves by the Police are an affront on that office. And moves like this never happen without consequences on Democracy itself.
AuduMaikori @Audu
For those of you supporting the attempted arrests/intimidation of your countries Senate President, senators and house of reps members ask yourself this- if they can treat federal elected representatives like common crooks, what will they do to ordinary people like me and you?
Agwu Obinna. @d_angrymob
Whatever is going on in the Senate right now isn’t about Nigerians. All man dey fight for him own belle. Smh!
…Kwara Assembly calls for protection of democracy
The Kwara State House of Assembly has called on Nigerians, credible Civil Society Organisations and the international community to rise in unison for the protection of the nation’s democracy.
This followed a Motion of Urgent Public Importance, by the House Leader Hon. Hassan Oyeleke, titled Unsuccessful Terrorism of the National Assembly, by the nation’s security agencies.
The Speaker, Dr. Ali Ahmad, while reading the resolutions of the House on the Motion, expressed displeasure that with the invasion, the nation’s hard won democracy was being threatened, pointing out that it was disheartening that the institution of Police, was being misused for personal aggrandizement, by the power that be.
Dr Ahmad explained that democracy is not just for election, but for freedom of speech and association.
The House according to him, then condemned in totality the impunity of the security agencies, by invading the National Assembly, the private residences of the Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki and some Senators by the Police.
Meanwhile, the House has confirmed the deployment of Hajia Halimat Jummai Kperogi as the Clerk of the House.
This followed the redeployment of Alhaji Ahmed Katsina Mohammed to Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources as Permanent Secretary.
Hajia Halimat Kperogi who had served as Deputy Clerk to the House, was until her deployment, the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
…Fayose visits Saraki, Ekweremadu
The outgoing Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has described President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as a ‘government of beasts’. Mr Fayose said this while visiting the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, on Tuesday.
The visit, Mr Fayose said, is to solidarise with the duo on their recent travails with security agencies.
Mr Fayose condemned the siege on the residences of the Senate leaders on Tuesday and commended the 15 senators who defected from the APC.
On Ekiti elections, Mr Fayose accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of holding on to election documents despite several requests to access it by the PDP.
Mr Fayose’s deputy, Olusola Eleka, lost the Ekiti governorship election to Kayode Fayemi of the APC.
He described people who said he would run away after his party lost the election as ‘idiots’.
…CAN cautions presidency, police over threat to democracy
The leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has warned the Presidency and the Nigeria Police not to do anything capable of threatening the survival of democracy in Nigeria.
Reacting to the invasion of the official residences of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, CAN warned the presidency to desist from using the Nigeria Police to pull down democratic institutions built at a great price, which includes, but not limited to, loss of lives and imprisonment of many patriots in the past.
“We express grave concerns over the poor handling of police’s invitation to the Senate President, Saraki, over the infamous Offa robbery saga that led to the death of no fewer than 30 people. And the alleged plan by the EFCC to arrest Ekweremadu over alleged money laundry”, the statement added.
The Christian umbrella body, in a state signed by the Special Assistant (Media and Communications) to the CAN President, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji condemned in strong terms the way and manner the Police were deployed in subjecting the leadership of the National Assembly to needless embarrassment and harassment.
It described the ongoing action of the Police is a siege against democracy’.
CAN notes with every sense of responsibility that the only difference between democracy and dictatorship is the presence or absence of the National Assembly. As stakeholders in the survival of the Nigerian democracy, we have no choice but to speak out against unfolding political imbroglio that is capable of not portraying in good standing in the comity of nations.
“We caution the Police against being used to threaten democracy. CAN needs to remind the Nigeria Police that once a suspect has been invited to any of its offices, the best international practice is to exercise patience until the invitee fails to honour such an invitation. We are shocked, disappointed and alarmed at the aborted moves by the Police to stop both the Senate President and his deputy, from attending Tuesday’s proceedings for whatever reasons.
“We urge the Presidency to avoid any action that could threaten the democracy of our nation. The Nigeria Police are supposed to be neutral in order to ensure the survival of democracy. We call on both leadership of the National Assembly and the Presidency to stop acting in a manner that constitutes international disgrace and embarrassment. It is needless to remind the legislative and executive arms of government to work in synergy for the interest of our nation’s democracy.
“CAN calls on Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other professional bodies, like the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), among others, to remain vigilant in rescuing democracy from forces that are hell-bent in derailing it.
“We appeal to all security agencies to stop being involved in partisan politics. Nigerians must realise that leadership goes around and comes around, but our country will continue to remain. It calls on all service chiefs, including the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotun Idris, not to destroy our democratic institutions through needless partisanship.
